Feed hopper



Aug. 4, 1925. v 1,548,385

W. E. PRESCOTT FEED HOPPER Filed Dec. 12, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v mm amArron/vi); M

Aug. 4, 1925.

w. PRESCOTT FEED HOPPER Filed Dec. 12, 1925 ZSheets-Sheet 2 v PatentedAug. 4, 1925.

v 1,548,385 PATENT OFFICE,

WILLIAM EDWARD PRESCOTT, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO BAKER-YERKINSCOMPANY, INCORPORATED, PLAINS, NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION OF A NEW Yonx. I

run HOPPER.

Application tiled December 12, 1923. Serial no. 680,179.

to different machines or mechanisms, such as mixing machines, and theobject is to provide such hoppers with improved means for agitating orkeeping in movement the contents in order to facilitate the discharge orfeed of said contents.

Broadly stated, the invention consists in forming the sides of thehopper of a skeleton framework, the walls being completed by plates orslides adapted as to any or all of them to be reciprocated in successionor any desired sequence in order to keep the contents in continuousmovement.

The invention also comprises details of construction, arrangement andcombinations of parts as hereinafter fully described and specificallypointed out in appended claims.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, Fig.2 is an end elevation,and Fig. 3 a plan of one embodiment, whilst Figs. 4 to 6 are similarviews of another embodiment on a reduced scale.

In the example shown in the drawings a tapered hopper of rectangularform in plan is shown, the hopper structure itself being made ofskeleton form, that is to say, it consists of, an exterior framework 0,the walls being completed by vertically movable or reciprocating platesor slides 72 which are guided in said frame in such a manner as to makesubstantially tight joints at the corners or meeting edges of theplates. For this purpose the frame a may be grooved as at an adjacentthe joints, to receive the butt or squared ends of one plate I), theadjacent plate being bevelled as at b with its point or edge abuttingagainst the first plate close to the end in the said groove a. As analternative, the edges of the plates may be bevelled with the bevelsfitting substantially close together. Again, behind the plates theframes may be channeled as at a so that should any leakage of thecontents take place between the joints of said plates it will flow downthe channels into the lower part of the hoppen The framework is alsoprovided with-rectilinear or vertical extensions or brackets d adaptedto'guide the slides 12 in their movement as by means of plates e on saidslides engaging the extensions orbrackets.

- The slides or plates are mechanically reciprocated in succession orother desired sequence in order to keep the-contents in continuousmovement or feed and for this purpose the preferred arrangement is toprovide at each outer side of the hopper near the upper part thereof arotary shaft 7' carrying an eccentric or crank g the sheave or rod 9 ofwhich is connected to the back or outer face of a slide as by lugs 9 Thesaid shafts may be driven from a single source of power, for example ashaft k, by belts or chains 71 either collectively or in pairs, thelatter being shown in Fig. 3, all of said shafts f or said pairs ofshafts being interconnected for such drive as by means of bevel gears.y'.

The size of the plates or slides and the length of their reciprocatingstroke are such that at all'times the full capacity or area of thehopper structure is available for use.

It wi 1 be obvious that the slide 12 at one, two or more sides only ofthe hopper may be reciprocated if desired and that the hopper may bemade of any desired section or other shape, for example the sidesthereof need not taper but may be vertical, in which case the tendencyto leakage past the joints is minimized.

In the case of hoppers of large dimensions, the same may be formed intwo parts 70 k such as shown in Figs. 4 to 6, one part, for example theu per one 70, having plain or solid walls, an the other part 70 formedas above described with-the reciprocating plates or slides 32 to whichhowever there are attached as by brackets Z a convenient number ofblades, arms or other elements shown in thedrawings, as interiorlysuspended chains Z extending upwards into said solid part and which asthe plates are reciprocated will agitate the contents and preventbridging of the contents, that is to say, a form taken by the materialwhen the hopper is in oper-' ation in which a quantity of said materialmay form a bridge from one side of the 11-0 slides b the-chains preventanytendeney of theinaterial to form a bridge.

'What I claim as my invention and deslre to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States is 1. A feed hopper comprising a skeletonframework,reciprocable plates mounted in the skeleton framework and forming theside walls of the hopper, and means for reciproeating said plates.

'2. A hopper for feeding materials and comprisin ciated wit saidskeleton frame, and reciproeable plates mounted in said guides andforming the side walls of the hopper.

3. In a hopper for feeding materials, reeiprocable side walls forfacilitating the feeding ofmaterials through the hopper, and agitatingmeans carried by the reciprocable side walls, and operated thereby.

4. In a hopper for feedin materials, reciprocable sidewalls foracilitating the feeding of materials through the hopper,

-means for reciprocating the side Walls, and agitating means carried bysaid side walls and bridging the hopper.

5. In a hopper, reciprocable-side walls,

a skeleton frame, guides asso means formeeiproeati'ng sidd-walls tofacilitate feeding of materials through the .hopper, and flexibleagitati bridging said :h'ofpperand attae ed to the elements side wallsthereo I 1 6. 'In a hopper, reeiproeabl e sidewalls, means forreciprocating said side walls, and movable agitating elem'ents bridgingthe hopper and operated by the movement of said reeiproeable side walls.

7. In a hopper, reciproeableplates forming the side walls of the hoppermeans for reciprocating said plates, and fiexible agitating elementsbridging the hop r. and suspended from said reciprocable p ates.

8. A hopper for feedingvmaterials, said hopper comprising a skeletonfraine, guides associated with said frame, 'reeiprocable plates mountedin said guides and forming the side walls of the hopper, means for re-'eiproeating said plates, and a plurality of grooves formed in theskeleton frame in a position behind the plates and adjacent the ointsthereof, whereby leakage through the joints will be'conveyed to thedischarge of the hopper. v

In witness whereof I have signed this specification.

WILLIAM EDWARD PRESCOTT.

